Steam-heating plant.



No. 722,127. PATENTED MAR. s, 1903. D. F. MORGAN. STEAM HEATING PLANT.

APPLICATION FILED DBG.2, 1901.

110 MODEL.

lthnrrnn dramas DOCTOR FRANKLIN MORGAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STEAM-HEATING PLANT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,127, dated March 3,1903.

Application filed December 2, 1901. Serial No. 84.393. (No model.)

T0 at whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, DOCTOR FRANKLIN MORGAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSteam-Heating Plants, of which the following, when taken in connectionwith the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof, is a full andcomplete description, sufficient to enable those skilled in the art towhich it pertains to understand, make, and use the same. p

This invention relates to what are termed gravity steam-l1eating plants,whether single or double pipe.

The objects of the invention are to obtain a steam-heating plant whereinthe delivery of steam for heating purposes to all the radiators of theplant is insured without the use of an air-valve or expansible member tothe several radiators, to obtain a steam-heating plant which may beoperative at less than atmospheric pressure when desired, and to obtaina steam-heating plant which maybe adjusted to operate at a determinedpressure above atmospheric when desired.

In the apparatus embodying this invention any number of radiators may beinterposed in the plant and various modes of attaching such radiatorsmay be adopted.

In the drawings referred to, Figure 1 is an elevation of a part of asteam-heating plant embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional view of one of the combined water, steam, and air trapsillustrated in Fig. 1, showing the interior construction thereof. Fig. 3is a cross-section of Fig. 2 on line 3 3 thereof viewed in the directionindicated by the arrows. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of an additional andadjustable combined water, steam, and air trap, also illustrated inFig. 1. Fig. 5' is a top plan view of the base of the trap illustratedin Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a sectional View on line 6 6 of Fig. 4 viewedin the direction indicated by the arrows.

A reference-letter applied to designate a given part is used to indicatesuch part throughout the several figures of the drawings wherever thesame appears.

A is a boiler, and a is the damper to the furnace of the boiler.

B is a combined water, steam, and air trap.

O is an adjustable combined water, steam, and air trap.

D is a pipe connection between boiler A and the several radiators E Eand F, whereby steam is supplied to such radiators, as through theseveral branch pipes D D.

G G G are air-pipe connections communieating with the end of the severalradiators opposite to the branch pipes D D and extending therefrom tothe respective water, steam, and air traps B B, and H H are branch pipescommunicating with the respective traps B B and extending therefrom tothe return-pipe I.

J is a pipe communicating at one end with the return-pipe I and with theboiler A, as through the pipes K and L, and at the other endcommunicating with the trap O.

M is a pipe communicating at one end with the bleeder end ofsteam-supply pipe D and at the other end with the combined water, steam,and air trap B (attached thereto at M) and through such last-named trap13 communicating with the return-pipe I.

The bleeder end of the steam-supply pipe D is connected to the boiler Abelow the Water-line therein by means of communicating pipe L. Thereturn end of the return-pipe I is connected to the boiler A through thepipes K and L.

N is a damper-controlling apparatus. N is the steam'supply pipe of suchdamper-controlling apparatus, and N is the steam and water ofcondensation discharge pipe from such apparatus.

The return-pipes G G G communicate at the lower ends thereof,respectively, with a combined Water, steam, and air trap B, and thecombined water, steam, and air traps B B are connected to thereturn-pipe I by means of the several branch pipes H H II. The radiatorsF F, (as Well as the radiators E E,) are provided with the return-pipesG G, communicating with the water, steam, and air trap B, which trap isin communication with the return-pipe I through the branch pipe II.

The combined water, steam, and air traps B B B B consist, respectively,of an outer casing, at the upper end of which the returnpipes G G G arerespectively attached in such manner as to extend below the surface ofmercury or other fluid contained in the outer casing and to be therebysealed with an annular space surrounding the ingoing pipe and suchannular space communicating with a discharge-pipe.

b is a pipe in trap B, attached at the upper end thereof to nipple b towhich nipple pipe G is also attached. Pipe 1) extends below the surfaceof mercury or other fluid b in well 19 b is the outer casing of the trapB and is attached at its upper end to T b and at the lower end to well 5Nipple is attached to T 11 and branch pipe H is also attached to the T19 The annular chamber between pipe I) and casing b is thus incommunication with discharge-pipe H, and the return-pipe G is incommunication with such annular chamber when the pressure in pipe G andb is sufficient to force the contents thereof through the mercury orother liquid b in well 12 The lower end of the pipe b is sealed againstfluidpressure in pipe H and the annular chamber between pipe I) andcasing b by fluid 5 as such pressure tends to force such fluid into thepipe b.

Any water of condensation, steam, or air flowing from the respectivereturn-pipes G into the depending pipes 12 in the respective traps Bwill remain in such pipes 19 until the pressure in the radiators andreturn-pipes is suflicient to force the water of condensation, steam, orair through the liquid b whereupon the same will be discharged from suchtrap B to the branch pipe H thereof and from thence to the return pipeI. The traps B therefore produce greater pressure in the severalsteam-supply pipes D D and radiators E and F than in the air-pipes H Hand return-pipe I, and this result is obtained when the only liquid insuch traps is water of condensation.

The adjustable combined water, steam, and air traps 0 comprises thecasing 0, provided with neck 0 depending therefrom, and the base 0through which base such neck extends. Base (J is provided with theaperture 0 Fig. 5, through which the neck C loosely passes, and suchaperture 0 is provided with the recesses C 0 through which the lugs C Con neck C may loosely pass. Lugs C O are rigidly secured on neck 0 andhence the combined water, steam, and air trap C may be adjusted byturning it so that the lugs O 0 pass through recesses C 0 and such trapis secured in an adjusted position by thereafter turning the trap sothat the lugs O 0 rest on the upper side of the base 0 say, at rightangles to recesses 0 C The pipe J extends into the neck 0 and the lowerend thereof is designed to be sealed by liquid, preferably mercury,contained in such neck 0 The hole in the upper end 0 through which thepipe J extends, is sufficiently large to obtain atmospheric pressure onthe surface of the liquid contents of neck G The pressure carried in thesteam plant embodying this invention is varied and controlled by theraising and lowering of the casing O on base 0 as thereby the lower endof the return-pipe J is varied with reference to the depth thereof belowthe surface of the liquid contents of the neck 0 N is a steam-supplypipe from the bleeder end of steam-supply pipe D to damper-controllingdevice N.

Each radiator is supplied with an ordinary valve 6, whereby it may becut out of the plant when desired.

The temperature of the rooms or other spaces warmed by the radiators ofa steamheating plant embodying this invention is controlled by thetemperature of the heating fluid in the system, and I have thereforeprovided means whereby air may be expelled from the system-that is, byraising the temperature and pressure of the heating fluid sufficientlyto force the air therein through the steam-supply pipe D, branches D D,radiators E E and F F, combined water, steam, and air traps B B and B,branch pipes H H, return pipe I, pipe J, and the adjustable combinedwater, steam, and air trap O to the atmospheremeans wherebythetemperature and pressure required to force the air from the system maybe varied, as by the variation of the position of casing C relative tothe lower end of pipe J, as hereinbefore described, and means toautomatically control the generation of steam in the boiler of theplant, whereby when the air has been driven from the plant, asdescribed, steam may be generated and maintained at less thanatmospheric pressure, as by the automatic damper-controlling device N.As any other efficient damper-controlling device may be substituted fordamper-controlling device N and as such damper-controlling device N isfully described and claimed in application filed by me August 10, 1901,Serial No. 71,565, the same is not herein illustrated in detail ordescribed; but in my opinion the efficiency of a steam-heating plantembodying this invention would be seriously crippled if automatic meansfor varying the temperature and pressure of the heating fluid were notprovided.

I do not claim as new the combined water, steam, and air traps B B, northe seal 0, nor do I confine myself to the use of such particular trapsor seals, as any substitute means for obtaining greater pressure in theradiators of the system than obtains in the return air-pipes, while airand steam may flow from such radiators, respectively, into the airpipes,may be used in place of trap B, and any substitute means which willpermit the contents of pipe J to flow therethrough and will seal suchpipe at the delivery end thereof from an inflow may be employed withoutdeparting from this invention as described and claimed. The greaterpressure in the radiators over the pressure in the air-pipes is for thepurpose of insuring the flow of steam to all the radiators of the systembefore obtaining a flow of steam into the air-pipes from the severalradiators, and such difference in pressure should be sufficient toprevent the cutting out of any of such radiators in the operation of theapparatus. Whatever device is used as a substitute for the combinedsteam, water, and air traps B such device must be one which is notclosed to the passage of steam by the action of the steam that is, itmust not be a thermostatic expansible member-as steam is required in theair-pipes in the operation of this system, and such steam should bedelivered thereinto from the several radiators.

The operation of a steam-heating plant embodying this invention is asfollows: A fire is started in the furnace of the boiler and steam isgenerated ofv sufficient pressure to pass through the supply-pipes, theradiators, return-pipes, and traps, and to the atmosphere. If the spaceswarmed by the plant are not sufiiciently heated, the adjustable water,steam, and air trap is raised in its base, so as to increase the depthat which the end of pipe J is immersed, and if such warmed spaces aretoo highly heated, the damper a of the furnace is closed to reduce thegeneration of steam in the boiler thereof. When the quantity of steamgenerated is insufficient to resupply that lost by being reduced towater of condensation, the pressure of steam in the plant will graduallyfall below atmosphere pressure, and thereafter the desired temperatureof the heating fluid can be varied, as desired, from below atmosphericpressure to any pressure necessary above atmospheric.

It will be understood that the pressure necessary to drive air from thesystem must be greater than the pressure required to force such airthrough either trap B or C and sufficient to drive it through both--thatis, the pressure in branch pipes H H and returnpipe I must be sufficientto force the air through trap G, the pressure in pipes H and I beingobtained by the steam therein from the return-pipes G and the radiators,and the pressure in return-pipes G G must be Suficiently above thepressure in branch pipes H H and return-pipe I to drive air through thetrap B, and that there will always be a determined difference inpressure between pipes G G and pipes H H I, the greater pressure beingin pipes G G, respectively, and that the raising of the pressure inpipes H H I by raising the adjustable sealing device or adjustable trapC on its base C that is, the adjusting of the trap C so that the pipe .Iis more deeply submerged in the liquid contents of neck O will raise thepressure in the pipes G G a corresponding amount, (the difference inpressure being constant,) and that thereby the pressure in the radiatorsE E F must be raised before any air, water of condensation, and steamwill be forced from the radiators and the discharge-pipes G G intobranch pipes H H and dischargepipe I and before air will be forced fromsuch discharge-pipe I through air-pipe J and adjustable trap G to theatmosphere.

The presence of steam in branch pipes H I-I and retnrn-pipe I forces theair therefrom by heat as well as by pressure, and that if the air is notforced from such pipes it will be held therein under pressure, or atleast atmospheric pressure, and when the steam in the radiators issulficiently less than atmospheric it will flow back into such radiatorsthrough the several combined water, steam, and air traps B B or theirsubstitutes, carrying the contents of such traps therewith into theseveral radiators, as such traps, even when constructed as illustratedand mercury is used as a sealing liquid, are not of sufficient length towithstand the difference in pressure between atmospheric and thatexisting in the radiators.

When the return-pipes are freed from air, the main seal 0 is the onlyone which is subjected to atmospheric pressure on one side, with avacuum, or nearly so, on the other side, in the operation of the system,and such seal 0 must be made sufficiently large so that a pressure offifteen pounds will not effect passage of air therethrough into thesystem.

It will be observed that if the damper-controlling devioe is subjectedto or controlled by climatic temperature the temperature of the spacesheated by the apparatus will be automatically controlled by thesteam-heating plant embodying this invention.

By means of valve 6 any radiator in the plant can have the steam-supplythereto cut off therefrom, and (because of return-pipe G being sealed intrap B) the working of the remaining radiators in the plant will not beaffected thereby.

Any water of condensation in return-pipe I will flow therefrom bygravity through pipe K back to boiler A, and any air in the bleeder endof steam-supply pipe D will flow therefrom through the pipe M and trap B(attached at M thereto) into return-pipeIand from thence (along with theair in such return-pipe) through trap O to the atmosphere.

Any water of condensation in the bleeder end of steam-supply pipe D willflow therefrom through pipe L back to boiler A.

I prefer to supply steam to damper-controlling device N from the bleederend of steamsupply pipe D through the pipe N.

Any air in the bleeder end of steam-supply pipe D will flow therefromthrough pipe M and steamtrap (or sealing apparatus) B into thedischarge-pipe I and from thence (together with other air in suchdischarge-pipe I) will flow therefrom through air-pipe J and adjustabletrap C to the atmosphere. The

adjustment of the trap O by varying the pressure in air-pipe J anddischarge-pipe I, as hereinbefore described, varies the pressurerequired in the bleeder end of steam-supply pipe D to force the air fromsuch bleeder end through pipe M and trap B into pipe I, as last abovedescribed, and as steam is supplied to the damper-controlling device Nthrough the pipe N and as no steam will flow from such bleeder end ofsteam-supply pipe D through such pipe N until the air has been driven,as described, through the pipe M the variation of the steamtrap 0produces corres ponding variation in the operation of thedampercontrolling device N to close the damper of the furnace of theboiler, thereby insuring the circulation of steam at a determinedpressure throughout the entire plant before the damper-controllingdevice N will be operated to close the damper.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a steam-heating plant, the combination of radiators,steam-pipesconnected to the respective radiators, air-pipes from the respectiveradiators, means to retard the flow of steam from the radiators into therespective air-pipes, a pipe communicating with the air-pipes formingthe return-pipe therefor, such return-pipe communicating with thesteam-generator of the system, a seal, an additional pipe communicatingwith the returnpipe and extending therefrom upward and then downward toform a loop terminating in the seal, the riser of such loop rising to asufficient height to prevent, under normal pressure, the passage ofwater of condensation to the seal from the return-pipe; substantially asdescribed.

2. In a steam-heating system, the combination of radiators,steam-pipesconnected to the respective radiators, a returnpipe, air-Withdrawingpipes communicating, respectively, with the return-pipe and with theradiators, means to retard the flow of steam from the radiators into thereturn-pipe through the respective air-withdrawing pipes, suchreturnpipe communicating with the steam-generator of the system, a seal,an additional pipe communicating with the return-pipe and extendingupward therefrom and then downward to form a loop and suchdownwardly-extending part of the loop terminating in the seal, the riserof such loop of sufficient height to prevent, under normal pressure, thepassage of water of condensation from the return-pipe to the seal;substantially as described.

3. In a steam-heating system, the combination of radiators,stean1-pipesconnected to the respective radiators, a return-pipe, pipescommunicating,respectively,with the return-pipe and with the radiatorsto withdraw the air from the radiators and deliver it to the returnpipe,means to retard the flow of steam from the radiators through therespective air-withdrawing pipes into the return-pipe, such return-pipecommunicating with the steam-generator of the system below the water-line thereof, a seal, an additional pipe communicating with thereturn-pipe and extending u pward therefrom and then downward to form aloop and such downwardly-extending part of the loop terminating in theseal, the riser of such loop of sufficient height to prevent, undernormal pressure, the passage of water of condensation from thereturn-pipe to the seal, an additional pipe communicating with thebleeder end of the steam-pipe and with the return-pipe, and meansinterposed in such additional pipe to retard the flow of steam from thesteam-pipe to the return-pipe; substantially as described.

DOCTOR FRANKLIN MORGAN.

In presence Of- CHARLES TURNER BROWN, CORA A. ADAMS.

